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The battlefield crackled with opposing energies. Fire warped the air in waves, while frost gnawed the ground with jagged ice. The dual-element demon stood like a living contradiction, its body laced with steaming flames and chilling mist.
Nero crouched low, claws extended, teeth bared.
"I can't take this one lightly."
The dual-element monster charged first. A wave of fire surged forward from its fist, while the ground froze beneath its feet. Nero darted sideways, narrowly avoiding the flames—but the cold slowed his retreat.
His mind raced.
Too fast. Too strong. I need to isolate an opening.
"Ice Thread."
Frost spun from his fingers, weaving a cold arc toward the demon's leg. The thread coiled around its ankle like a snake, and for a heartbeat, the beast staggered. That moment was all Nero needed.
"Nero Style: Feral Form."
A low growl echoed from his throat as his body expanded with violent grace. Muscles surged, claws lengthened, his back arched like a panther ready to pounce.
He dashed forward.
The demon roared, trying to blast him with a cone of flame—but Nero twisted low, leaping into a spin. His claws slashed across the creature's ribs, opening a trail of black blood.
The Ice Thread yanked hard, disrupting the demon's stance. It turned to retaliate—too slow.
Nero's claw plunged into its gut.
The demon screamed. Ice and fire lashed out in a final burst of resistance. But Nero tanked the cold with gritted teeth and ducked beneath the flame, launching upward with feral speed.
His jaws locked onto its neck.
He bit down.
He tore.
Blood and elemental energy spilled over his face as the demon crumbled beneath him. He stood atop its twitching corpse, chest rising and falling.
Then—he knelt.
And began to eat.
Chunk by chunk, he devoured the dual-element flesh. He didn't just consume it—he claimed it. With every bite, heat and frost warred in his stomach, his body becoming a crucible for opposing forces.
The system responded.
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> System Notification <
You have consumed the flesh of a Dual-Element Demon.
Skill: Gluttony activated.
Elemental data assimilated...
+1 STR
+1 INT
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
> System Notification <
Enemy Defeated
EXP Gained: 60
DGP +40 (Total: 160)
Level Up: Level 2
New Passive Skill Acquired: Dual Element Affinity
Bonus Reward Granted: EXP Elixir
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Power surged through his veins like molten frost. The fire no longer scorched him. The ice no longer bit.
He was adapting.
He was evolving.
A laugh rose from his throat—deep, guttural, triumphant.
He summoned his status window, eager to see the change.
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[Status Window]
True Name: Numen
Alias: Nero
Race: Demonkin (Non-Elemental Variant)
Level: 2
EXP: 55 / 200
DGP: 160
Stats:
STR: 7
DEX: 7
VIT: 5
INT: 10
Active Skills:
Gluttony
Nero Style: Feral Form
Ice Thread
Passive Skills:
Fire Resistance (Low)
Ice Resistance (Low)
Dual Element Affinity (You can comprehend, absorb, and evolve through multiple elemental energies.)
Traits:
GOD Furnace (Locked)
Inventory:
EXP Elixir (1): Doubles EXP gained for 2 hours.
Lesser Ember Core (x1)
Frost Demon Bone (x3)
---------------------------------
Nero's eyes flicked to the EXP Elixir, curiosity piqued.
"Huh," he muttered, "a system bonus."
The bottle shimmered faintly within the inventory space. The description promised two hours of double EXP. His tongue brushed a bit of blood from his lip.
"Not yet. I'll save it for a feast."
Just then, a new message unfurled before his eyes.
---------------------------------
New Mission Unlocked!
Mission Name: Birthing Grounds Purge
Objective: Massacre and consume all newborn demonkin in the designated birthing zones.
Reward: ???
Penalty: Death
---------------------------------
Nero grinned.
"A massacre, huh? Finally, the system and I agree on something."
He looked to the horizon. More screams echoed in the distance.
The hunt wasn't over.
It had only just begun.
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